Yeshua in the Torah: The Tale of Two Worlds
by Ed Nelson
Hebrew literary styles are sometimes more than what meets the casual eye of the Bible reader. Once detected, they aid to rightly interpret the meaning and function of certain words, phrases, and movements in the narratives. In some cases, they are prophetic, as is the case of Genesis 1-9, which projects forward out of its history of events and personalities archetypal patterns for the time to come, i.e., our own history of civilization and future.
In this study, we will observe some of the literary patterns of Genesis 1-9. Also, using these literary patterns we shall see how this first section of the Bible forecasts an expectation of events in the Second World era after the Flood that correlate in some direct way to the First World era before the Flood. Observing the whole of the teachings of the Bible in light of these ancient literary devices of style, symmetry, reverse symmetry, chiasm, pun, and so forth, we may conclude that the story of the First World is also a prophetic pattern for our Second World.
The main literary sections of Genesis 1-9. Genesis 1-9 is the story of the First World before the Flood, the event of the Flood itself and its aftermath. In these Scriptures are four compact narratives, each clearly segmented from the others. The first narrative is set apart as the preamble. It is concerned with beginnings (Genesis 1:1-2:3). After this are three distinctly separated sections. In Hebrew these sections are known as toldoth, which may be translated as “accounts of,” or “genealogies.” In Genesis (Bereishit) and throughout all Scriptures the word toldoth is the headline word signaling a new watershed of biographical, genealogical and historical narrative. The three toldoth we find in the account of the First World are:
• The toldoth (“account of”) the heavens and the earth when they were created (Genesis 2:4-4:26)
• The toldoth (“genealogies”) of Adam’s line (Genesis 5:1-6:8)
• The toldoth (“genealogies”) of Noah (Genesis 6:9-9:28)
The global literary sections of the Bible: toldoth. The episode that follows these three is the next toldoth in the Bible, the genealogies of Shem, Ham and Japheth, Noah’s sons (Genesis 10:1-11:9). This toldoth begins the story of the Second World, or the new beginning of mankind and its history after the Flood. This particular toldoth that launches the Second World is also known as the Table of Nations, explaining the origin of the original 70 nations.
In all, thirteen toldoth are in the Old Covenant (Testament) and one in the New Covenant (Testament), namely the toldoth of Yeshua haMashiach (Jesus the Messiah). Technically, a toldoth describes what has biographically happened. That is, it is historical. The birth of Yeshua, a historical event, began the fourteenth toldoth. It shows Yeshua, the Son of David, to be the Second Adam. This toldoth still continues today without obsolescence. We live in the age of the Messiah, the Second Adam, or in what is also known as “the last days” of the Second World era.
Prophetically, a final toldoth is promised in 2 Peter 3:13 where it reads: “And in keeping with his [God’s] promise, we look forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.” The apostle Peter is not alone in anticipating this culminating event in the story of Messiah and mankind. We find others like the prophet Isaiah anticipating a future toldoth of new heavens and earth (65:17; 66:22). John the Evangelist in Revelation 21:1 records his similar vision: “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away…” This new toldoth to come will be the age of the Messiah and the Second Born.
By outlining the fifteen toldoth of the Bible, we discover they conform to the Hebraic literary device known as “reverse concentric symmetry.” We also discover within the reverse concentric symmetry is another form of reverse symmetry known as chiasm that also aids us in interpreting the plan of God through the ages. By carefully observing this outline of reverse symmetry we discover plain and subtle correlations that are striking in the information they provide. For simplicity sake, we will divide these fifteen toldoth into four parts, or four historical movements:
• The toldoth within the First World era (Genesis 1-9)
• The toldoth within the Second World era in reverse concentric symmetry to the Second World era (beginning with Genesis 10)
• The toldoth within the Second World era in chiastic symmetry to the First World era
• The toldoth of the future Third World era in symmetry to the First World era
Before we do this exercise, be reminded that recent scholarship has distinguished reverse symmetry into two kinds: concentric symmetry and chiasm. The differences between the two types are as follows:
• Reverse concentric symmetry has one single center as in ABCDC’B’A’.
• A chiasm, likewise a form of reverse symmetry, has a double center as in ABCDD’C’B’A’.
• Reverse concentric symmetry has its crux statement as a single center statement as in ABCD’C’B’A’.
• A chiasm has its crux statements in the form of a duet found at the extremes of the pattern as in ABCDD’C’B’A’.
The double center (DD’) absorbs the literary movement towards the center, but
only to push the literary movement back to the main theme or main point at the
edges of AA’.
In this light, review the fifteen toldoth in the order they are presented in the Bible. You will see that they unfold a dynamic, progressive relationship to each other in the form of reverse concentric symmetry written as ABCDEFGHG’F’E’D’C’B’A’. The crux statement is the bold line H with its toldoth of Abraham’s son, Isaac.
Toldoth within the First World era
A Toldoth of the heavens and earth: Adam and his wicked line,
the Firstborn (Genesis 2:4)
B Book of toldoth (Sefer toldoth) of Adam and his
righteous line, the Second Born (Genesis 5:1)
C Toldoth of Noah: God favors the destiny of Noah’s royal
family (Genesis 6:9)
Toldoth within the Second World era
in reverse concentric symmetry to the Second World era
D Toldoth of Shem, Ham and Japheth after the flood:
The Table of Nations (Gen. 10:1)
E Toldoth of Shem: Second Born son (Gen. 11:10)
F Toldoth of Terah: Firstborn son (Gen. 11:27)
G Toldoth of Abraham’s son Ishmael:
Firstborn son (Gen. 25:12)
H Toldoth of Abraham’s son Isaac:
Second Born son (Gen. 25:19)
G’ Toldoth of Esau: Firstborn son (Gen. 36:1)
F’ Toldoth of Esau, father of the Edomites:
Firstborn sons (Gen. 36:9)
E’ Toldoth of Jacob: Second Born son (Gen. 37:2)
D’ Toldoth of the family of Aaron and Moses at Mount
Sinai: Israel, the chosen nation (Num. 3:1)
Toldoth within the Second World era
in chiastic symmetry to the First World era
C’ Toldoth of Perez: God favors the royal destiny of Perez’
family through David (Ruth 4:18)
B’ Book of toldoth (Sefer toldoth) of Messiah, Son of
David, Second Adam (Mat. 1:1)
Toldoth of the Future Third World era
in chiastic symmetry to the First World era
A’ Toldoth of the new heavens and earth: Messiah and his
righteous line, the Second Born (2 Peter 3:13)
Do you see these fifteen watersheds of human history in the form of a series of successive toldoth? These fifteen toldoth give us the broadest outline of the Bible and a sensible grasp of the movement of God’s revelation of Himself in history and in the future.
Reverse concentric symmetry of the toldoth of Genesis 1-9. For our purposes, we will consider the first three toldoth of the First World era to see how they compare to the last three of the fifteen toldoth according to reverse symmetry. In this established literary routine, we may now study the prophetic message of God to us that comes as revelation from and of Him. Also, we avoid the human tendency towards mysticism, i.e., dependence on our “human insight” to project the meaning of the times and ages. We let the Word speak to us through its literary structure without manipulation, detecting the Hebraic literary styles of the Bible to reveal his written Word to us.
When we take the three toldoth of Genesis 1-9, the toldoth of the First World era which we list as lines ABC, and then compare them with their correspondences, C’B’A’, we find reverse symmetry in the form of a chiasm. In this literary scheme, the emphasis is placed on the edges—AA’. This gives us a concise portrait of the human race and its destiny.
Three movements are detected by reviewing this chiasm:
• The humanity of the First World and its judgment by God
• The status of current humanity in anticipation of the judgment of God
• Future humanity after the final judgment of God
Past humanity judged by God
A Toldoth of the heavens and earth: Adam and his wicked line,
the Firstborn humanity (Genesis 2:4)
Current humanity anticipating judgment of God
B Book of toldoth (Sefer toldoth) of Adam and his
righteous line of Seth, his second born (Genesis 5:1)
C Toldoth of Noah: God favors the common and royal destiny
of Noah’s family (Genesis 6:9)
C’ Toldoth of Perez: God favors the common and royal destiny
of Perez’ family (Ruth 4:18)
B’ Book of Toldoth (Sefer toldoth) of Messiah, the Second
Adam (Matthew 1:1)
Future humanity after the final judgment of God
A’ Toldoth of the new heavens and earth: Messiah and his righteous line,
Second Born humanity (2 Peter 3:13)
This chiasm, beginning with line A, moves forward to C, the toldoth of Noah in Genesis 6:9. The toldoth of Noah then parallels C’, the toldoth of Perez in Ruth 4:18, and begins the reverse symmetry back to A’. B and B’ are the records of two books, one of Adam and the second of the Messiah. A and A’ are about the heavens and the earth and, respectively, firstborn humanity and its judgment, and second born humanity and its preservation past the judgment of God. Of course, to escape judgment today is to put your faith in the Messiah Yeshua who took our judgment for us through his death on the cross. This is the redemptive act of the Second Adam on our behalf.
Reverse symmetry of the toldoth of and within the Second World era. All other toldoth from DEFG to H are in reverse symmetry to G’F’E’D’. Observe that this series of toldoth begins with the Table of Nations and ends with Yahweh’s selection of Israel as his chosen people from among the nations. The chief characteristic of the literary movement exclusively within the Second World era is from all the nations to one chosen nation from among all of them, namely, Israel. In turn, Israel presents the Messiah to all the nations. The stamp of the Messiah is indelibly engraved upon the nation of Israel. Importantly, all of this series of toldoth between D to D’ fall exclusively within the Second World era.
The First World’s Adam anticipates the Second World’s Messiah. Our interest in this study is in the six toldoth that directly correlate between the First World and the Second World, namely ABC and C’B’A’. By comparing these six toldoth, the three from the First World era to the three in the Second World era, we discover the major underlying, history-shaping theme of all time and history.
In the First World the central figure is the First Adam. As we shall see by direct literary correspondence, the First Adam anticipated the future Messiah Yeshua as the Second Adam.
The central figure in the Second World is the Second Adam, also called the Son of Man [Adam]. The central prophetic interest and movement in Genesis 1-9 is Messiah’s revelation to humankind as the single, unique human figure to come who redeems sinful, mortal man and recreates him, male and female, by his Spirit in his image and likeness for eternal life.
The Messianic significance of Noah. We have noted the looming figure of Adam over-arching the First World era as a figure anticipating the Messiah. Yet we find another figure in the story of Genesis 1-9 who reminds us of the Messiah. His name is Noah. In Matthew 24:37-39, Yeshua (Jesus) draws a direct parallel to the days of Noah in the last days of the First World era and the last days of the Second World era in which He will reappear as the Son of Adam, or Son of Man. He said to his disciples:
As it was in the days of Noah so it will be at the coming of the
Son of Man [Adam]. For in the days before the flood, people
were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up
to the day Noah entered the ark. And they knew nothing about
what would happen until the flood came and took them all
away. This is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man
[Adam].
We are compelled by the words of Yeshua to carefully review the life and times of Noah to learn more about the last days of our own era and to be alert in this regard.
The breadth of chapters one through nine. Our text of Genesis 1-9 is a complex set of narratives. Already we have observed the four basic movements within these chapters: first, the preamble in chapter one followed by a series of three toldoth, the last being the toldoth of Noah. Before we focus exclusively on the last toldoth representing the last days of the First World era, we do well to review the breadth of chapters one through nine. Again, we find a reverse concentric symmetry from Genesis 1:1 through Genesis 8:1 that is chock full of details.
Whereas the three toldoth places Adam as the central figure from which all things spring, both good and evil, by observing the reverse symmetry in the story line details Noah is positioned uniquely as the center figure and crux of these chapters. This is not a contradiction, but a design to emphasize Adam in one structure and Noah in the other. These are the two watershed figures of the First World era. We look to both to better understand our times and what lies ahead.
Look at the reverse concentric symmetry found in the details of chapters 1-8. It takes the concentric form of ABCDEFGHIJKJ’I’H’G’F’E’D’C’B’A’ where K is the pivotal line and crux statement of the entire story of the First World era. It reads: “This is the toldoth [genealogies] of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God.” Bear in mind that Noah’s name means “Comforter.”
A State of chaos and deep waters (‘tehom) over all the earth
upon which the LORD sent his Wind [Ruach] (Genesis 1:2)
B Seven-day period of creation culminating in humanity and
Sabbath (1:2-2:4)
C Statement outlining humanity's dominion in the earth
and corresponding expectation to care for its animals
(1:28)
D God's command (‘va-yetzav) not to eat of the
fruit of the Tree of Knowledge, thus corrupt mankind
(2:17)
E Naming of all animal species by the Man (‘Adam)
(2:19)
F The woman saw the pleasing and good
[tov] fruit of the Tree of Knowledge for
gaining wisdom and ate of it as she chose (3:6)
G The “Serpent” of old fells woman (and man)
by his promise of self-elevation to greatness
[nasha (“made to believe by lifting
up”] in wisdom: death-maker (3:13b)
H Genealogies (toldoth) of Seth to Noah
(4:25-32)
I Man full of corruption [shachath (“go
to ruin”)] and violence (6:5)
J The LORD decides to “corrupt”
[shachath (“go to ruin”)] man (6:7)
K Toldoth of Noah [Noach -
“Comforter”] who found
favor with God (6:8-10)
J¹ The LORD decides to “corrupt”
[shachath (“go to ruin”)] both man
and the earth (6:13)
I¹ Earth full of corruption [shachath
(“go to ruin”)] and violence (animals
eating animals), acting in man’s
evil ways (6:11-12)
H¹ Genealogies (toldoth) of Noah to three
sons: Japheth, Shem and Ham (6:9-10)
G¹ The “fellers” of men (nephilim – “causers of
people to fall” by killing) were on the earth,
mighty of old, men (‘ish) of name (shem):
death-merchants (6:4)
F¹ The sons of earth’s rulers (elohim means “rulers,”
“princes”) saw the daughters of [common]
men that they were good [tovoth, and they
married any they chose [against the will of the
parents] (6:1-2)
E¹ Calling and gathering two members of each named
animal species (6:19-22) and seven of each named
clean animal species to be preserved (7:2-4)
D¹ God's command (‘tziva) to build the ark (6:14-16)
C¹ God’s statement outlining Noah’s righteousness and
Affirming his role to save all animal species by
bringing them into the ark (7:1-3)
B¹ Seven-day period before the flood, including a Sabbath (7:4)
A¹ Deep waters (‘tehom rabba) cover the earth in chaos upon
which the LORD sent his Wind [Ruach] (Genesis 7:24-8:1)
The First World era earth begins in chaos with deep waters covering the earth upon which the Spirit of God, or Wind of God blew to recede the waters. The First World ended the way it began—flooded. The blowing Wind of God upon the Flood of judgment heralded a new beginning, the starting of a renewed humanity through Noah and his family. This was the beginning of the Second World era.
Likenesses and differences between the First and Second World eras. We live in the Second World era that began with the Spirit of God blowing upon the deep waters of Noah’s Flood. It was a fresh beginning, the dawning of our age. There are likenesses and differences between the First World era and the one in which we live. What are some of these likenesses and differences given us by the biblical narrative?
To compare some of the likenesses, we will compare similarities between the creation story of Genesis 1-2:3 and the Post-Flood account in chapters eight and nine.
A God blessed living creatures and commanded them to be
fruitful and increase (1:28)
A¹ God instructed living creatures to be fruitful and increase (8:17)
B God blessed man and commanded him to be fruitful and increase
(1:28)
B¹ God blessed man and commanded him to be fruitful and increase
(9:1, 7)
C God commanded man to rule over all animal life (1:28)
C¹ God put the fear of man in all animal life and placed them
under his power (9:2)
D God created man in his own image and likeness (1:27)
D¹ God holds man accountable for being made in his image (9:6)
What are some of the differences?
A God’s approval to eat grain and fruits (2:29)
A¹ God's approval to eat meat and vegetation (9:3)
B God’s curse of the ground (3:17)
B¹ God's removal of the curse of the ground (8:21b)
C God’s destruction of all living creatures not in the ark (7:23)
C¹ God's promise to never destroy all living creatures again by
a flood (8:21c, 9:11, 15)
D God floods the earth (7:18-20)
D¹ God's covenant to never flood the earth again (9:8-17)
Lawlessness of the First World era, and the Second World era of Law. Another difference is that no divine law existed in a legal code in the First World era outside the Garden of Eden. In the Garden of Eden was only one divine law. It banned eating of the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. After man was banished from the Garden, we have no record of the LORD issuing any other laws, or commandments, to govern human life.
The Mishna, or collection of oral teachings collated in the third century A.D., states, however, that six laws were given to Adam in Genesis 2:16 and a seventh to Noah, resulting in the Seven Laws of Noah (cf. Mishna, Sanhedrin 56a). All six laws were accounted for while Adam was in the Garden of Eden. Genesis 2:16 reads: “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden.” It continues in verse 17: “But you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you shall surely die.” Obviously, we all can see one divine law in verse 17—do not eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. If five others exist in this same passage as taught by the Mishna, they are difficult to find. But our concern is the state, or condition, of law, or, in this case, lawlessness outside the environs of the Garden. The Scriptures do not present the case for law outside the Garden until after the Flood at the dawning of the Second World era.
Without laws to govern, the citizens of the First World era were lawless. Does this not say something about the heart of man—male and female? Citizens of the First World era made their own way as they saw fit and proper. They were to discern the way of God in a lawless world, to operate on the basis of conscience and common sense. They were to worship the LORD, but we see that worship became corrupted when Adam’s son, Cain, killed his brother Abel over his offering to God.
The heart of man—male and female—being corrupt, a spirit of lawlessness and chaos governed the heart of human society. Lawlessness increased in its corruption of sane and responsible living. A condition of extreme lawlessness intensified and prevailed in the last of the last days of the First World order, a direct result of the lawless nature of human society after man was expelled from the Garden.
The spirit of lawlessness and the Lawless One. Not coincidentally, the apostle Paul points out that lawlessness will intensify and prevail during the last of the last days of our era before the appearing of the Messiah the second time. He taught the Thessalonians that “the secret power of lawlessness is already at work” (2 Thessalonians 2:7) at the present time. Then he added that “at the proper time … the Lawless One will be revealed whom the Lord Yeshua will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy the splendor of his coming” (2:8).
How did the apostle Paul know that lawlessness would increase in the last days of the Second World era? How did he know it would so intensify that lawlessness would become personified in a single evil person who is identified as the Lawless One? Being a well-trained disciple of Gam’liel, and Gam’liel of Sh’mon, and Sh’mon of his father Hillel, Paul was well versed in the Scriptures and oral traditions passed down from ancient times. The Spirit of God reminded him of the days of Noah, just as Yeshua reminded his disciples that the last days would be like the days of Noah.
Before and during the days of Noah a chief characteristic of his age was lawlessness, i.e., the law of the heart was the prevailing law. No statutes or decrees governed this First World age. Everything was a matter of the heart. Corrupt the heart and great distress and tribulation comes. Such a parallel is found in our increasingly evil age and will culminate in a rebellion against God and his people led by the Lawless One (2:3). The apostle Paul taught that lawlessness throughout the world was a precursor to the second appearing of the Messiah Yeshua.
Matthew’s Gospel, in chapter 24, lets us listen to a conversation of the Messiah with his disciples. He writes:
As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to
Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen,
and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the
age?”
And Yeshua answered and said to them, “See to it that no one
misleads you. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am
the Anointed One,’ and will mislead many. You will be hearing
of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for
these things must take place, but this is not yet the end. For
nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom,
and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes.
But all these things are the beginning of birth pangs.
Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and
you will be hated by all nations because of my name. At that
time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate
one another. Many false prophets will arise and will mislead
many. Because lawlessness is increased, most people's
love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, he
will be saved. This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in
the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the
end will come.” (Matthew 24:3-14)
Like Noah in the First World era, the church in the Second World era shall endure to the end with the message of the gospel of the kingdom for all the nations, to all the world. Then the end will come when the LORD says enough.
Laws governing “the image of God”: commandments regarding lifeblood. The Second World era began with few laws, but there were some. It was not entirely lawless. In time there would be law schools, libraries and a world of attorneys and judges since laws would increase. Some teach that the first seven laws were given by the LORD to the nations. These are called the Noachide Laws, named after Noah. Indeed, new commands were given immediately after the Flood, predominantly laws governing lifeblood. Whereas in the first start of mankind in the Garden of Eden the single divine law was not to eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge, now in the new start of humanity through Noah the first commandment of law once again concerns what we should not eat.
What was this command? The LORD said, “Do not eat meat that has its lifeblood in it” (9:4).
The LORD explains this law in the light of who man is and what he or she represents, namely, the image of God. Man is in God’s image. To take human lifeblood is to strike directly at God who owns the lifeblood of every person. Therefore, the law is expanded in application four ways:
• God holds every person accountable for his own lifeblood (9:5a)
• God holds every animal accountable that takes the lifeblood of a
human (9:5b)
• God holds every person accountable who takes the lifeblood of
another (9:5c)
• God requires man to deal justly with murderers (9:6)
A poetic parallelism follows in the text:
A Whoever sheds the blood of man,
A’ By man shall his blood be shed.
For in the image of God has God made man. (9:6)
Why do you think that the first divine laws given in the Second World era were governing the shedding of lifeblood? Obviously, one clear answer is that we were made in the image of God. But what is the connection of the image of God to blood? In Leviticus 17:11 and 14 we learn that “the life of every creature is its blood.” But there is more meaning yet. The LORD added: “And I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar. It is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.”
What we should find interesting, if not revelatory about God’s ways, in his explanation of the value of lifeblood is its highest value of anything in the whole world. Life is in the blood. It is also the only means for atonement for sins. Thus, when the LORD gave Noah this first law for the new age, it was to prize the value of lifeblood and to protect it from being shed.
The worst evil a human can do it to take the lifeblood of another. Once the first humans in the Garden ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they learned how to destroy, to unravel and undo what is good. The ultimate undoing is to undo life. Because life is in the blood, the shedding of lifeblood is the pinnacle act of lawlessness. Man can give life through birth. He can take it away by suicide and murder. When life is cheap, lawlessness prevails and intensifies. The twentieth century was the bloodiest century in the history of the Second World era. Besides two world wars, regional wars among neighboring nations, civil wars and uprisings, a holocaust of Jews and Gypsies, genocide of Chinese, Cambodians, Sudanese and others, the abortion of babies was introduced on a massive global scale and sanctioned by law. Never in human history, at least in our Second World era have such atrocities been supported by law. Such laws fail to uphold the first law of this Second World era—no shedding of lifeblood of humans.
The Noachide Laws. Out of this primary law to protect and govern lifeblood, the Seven Noachide Laws, or Seven Laws of Noah, emerged as universal laws for all nations. The First World era failed because of man’s lawlessness. Genesis 6:5 describes the end condition of the values of humankind before the Flood: “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Such a wild heart, a wild nature, a corrupt outlook on life would be restrained in the Second World. Laws would be introduced and added over the centuries to restrain the lawless hearts of humankind if left to themselves. Universal laws would be embraced in all societies. Restraint became the order of the day for the Second World era. The Laws of Noah would offer human restraint and order.
Evidence for the seven universal laws are found in the Torah, though not listed as a group. Nor are they referred to at any time in the Scriptures as the Laws of Noah. We understand them as a grouping of laws from oral tradition passed on from generation to generation. The Talmud, in Sanhedrin 58b, captures these seven commandments and thoroughly explains them. They are:
• Do not murder
• Do not steal
• Do not worship false gods
• Do not be sexually immoral
• Do not eat the limb of an animal before it is killed
• Do not curse God
• Set up courts and bring offenders to justice
All these laws are more than reasonable to a lawful person who respects himself, or herself, and others. We could call these “common sense” laws, something you would expect out of anyone who is rational and relational. Yet if God will judge humanity where laws do not exist, will He not much the more judge humanity when law does exist?
What do laws tell us about ourselves? Foremost they tell us that humans must be restrained from evil, otherwise they will do it. Second, they tell us that we are sinners against God, ourselves, our fellow man and all creation. We tend to violate and destroy more than to build up and grow. The Torah does this for Israel. It tells Israel, a people of God’s law, that they are sinners and need a Redeemer. Redemption is done by blood, a clear teaching of the Torah. To satisfy God’s holiness, lifeblood will have to be shed on behalf of mankind. The Torah, therefore, points to the Messiah Yeshua who shed his lifeblood voluntarily as God’s holy Son to redeem us and to atone for our sins by his blood. Laws of the Torah clearly aim us to this supreme conclusion of the salvation of man—male and female—from himself and others.
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